R’ Shimon says: Merit does not hold [the punishment of] the bitter waters in abeyance. For if you say that merit does hold [the punishment] of the curse-causing waters in abeyance, you diminish [the aura of] the waters in [the minds of] all the women who [must] drink, and you defame all the undefiled [women] who have drunk, because it will be said that they were defiled but merit held their punishment in abeyance. Rabbi says: Merit holds [the punishment of] the curse-causing waters in abeyance, but she does not bear children or continue to thrive, but wastes away by degrees; [and] in the end she dies that death.

[If] her minchah-offering became tamei before it was sanctified in a [service] vessel —- it is like all other minchah-offerings, and it may be redeemed; but if after it was sanctified in a [service-] vessel —- it is like all other minchah-offerings, and it must be burned.  These are the ones whose minchah-offerings must be burned: One who says, “I am defiled to you,” or about whom witnesses testify that she is defiled; or one who says, “I will not drink,” or whose husband does not want to give her to drink; or whose husband cohabited with her on the way. The minchah-offerings of all who are married to Kohanim must be burned.

[If] the daughter of a non-Kohen married a Kohen, her minchah-offering must be burned; but [if] the daughter of a Kohen married a non-Kohen, her minchah-offering is eaten.  How does a Kohen differ from the daughter of a Kohen? The minchah-offering of a Kohen’s daughter is eaten, [while] the minchah-offering of a Kohen is not eaten; a Kohen’s daughter can be disentitled, but a Kohen cannot be disentitled; a Kohen’s daughter may contaminate herself with the tumah of the dead, but a Kohen may not contaminate himself with the tumah of the dead; a Kohen may eat of the most holy offerings, but the daughter of a Kohen may not eat of the most holy offerings.

How does a man differ from a woman? A man [who is a metzora] must allow his hair to grow and must rend his garments, but a woman need not let her hair grow or rend her garments; a man can impose the vow of nezirus on his son, but a wom-an cannot impose the vow of nezirus on her son; a man can shave his head [at the conclusion of his nezirus] on the basis of the nezirus [offerings] of his father, but a woman cannot shave her head on the basis of the nezirus [offerings] of her father; a man can sell his daughter, but a woman cannot sell her daughter; a man can betroth his daughter, but a woman cannot betroth her daughter; a man is stoned naked, but a woman is not stoned naked; a man’s [body] is hung, but a woman’s [body] is not hung; a man can be sold for his theft, but a woman cannot be sold for her theft.